AF Honor Guard conducts training at Scott AFB

The Air Force Honor Guard conducted a recruiting presentation at Scott on May 8 as well as training for the Scott AFB Honor Guard members May 8-17. The training was part of an Air Force Honor Guard initiative to keep standards high across the entire Air Force. Photo by Airman 1st Class Daniel Garcia

The Air Force Honor Guard conducted a recruiting presentation at Scott on May 8 as well as training for the Scott AFB Honor Guard members May 8-17. The training was part of an Air Force Honor Guard initiative to keep standards high across the entire Air Force. Photo by Airman 1st Class Daniel Garcia

The Air Force Honor Guard conducted a recruiting presentation at Scott on May 8 as well as training for the Scott AFB Honor Guard members May 8-17.

The training was part of an Air Force Honor Guard initiative to keep standards high across the entire Air Force.

Senior Airman Andrew Zander has been in the Honor Guard for almost three years and said he feels serving is important.

This isn’t our only trip to train the base Honor Guard but we give them all the same training each time to make sure everyone is on the same page. We like to train them as if they’re a part of us so we take what we know and what we’re trained to do and break it down into a smaller time frame so that they attain the knowledge and ability to perform at peak level.

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“This isn’t our only trip to train the base Honor Guard but we give them all the same training each time to make sure everyone is on the same page,” said Zander.

“We like to train them as if they’re a part of us so we take what we know and what we’re trained to do and break it down into a smaller time frame so that they attain the knowledge and ability to perform at peak level,” Zander added

Training consisted of the pallbearers’ element—carrying caskets and folding flags; the colors element—carrying the national and Air Force Flag and the rifle guard and firing party; and the three volley salute performed at a funeral.

“Basically we cover a 20-man active duty funeral sequence and we train them in three different groups,” said Zander. “At the end of our time here we put it all together and perform a mock funeral.”

Airman 1st Class Andrew Monroe, 375th Communications Support Squadron, has been on approximately 40 details with the Scott AFB Honor Guard since January 2017 and understands that sometimes, minor details unfortunately may get lost over time.

“I am very grateful that they are here because at most we only serve six months (with the base Honor Guard) and it’s good for them to help us get back on track when we might make a slight change,” said Monroe. “It’s also a great experience for new trainees because not everyone gets a chance to be here when the Air Force Honor Guard comes through.”

I am very grateful that they are here because at most we only serve six months (with the base Honor Guard) and its good for them to help us get back on track when we might make a slight change. It’s also a great experience for new trainees because not everyone gets a chance to be here when the Air Force Honor Guard comes through.

Airman 1st Class Andrew Monroe, an Honor Guard member

Both Zander and Monroe recognize the Honor Guard could be the only exposure many civilians have to the military and the Air Force, making this important duty a humbling experience.

Monroe said, “Some of these families might not have known much about their family member’s military service so we perform funeral honors and represent the entirety of the Air Force and military as best we can.”